A conventional snow shovel is a hand implement or tool used to manually transfer snow from one spot or location to another. When clearing a sidewalk of snow, for instance, the common use of a snow shovel entails a repetitious scooping up of snow from the sidewalk area. Then each shovel-full of snow must be deposited or discarded at an adjacent or at least nearby location, such as a bordering lawn area. This commonplace task is far from effortless. Snow has a relatively high density, even when loosely packed. Compacted snow and "wet" snow (snow that contains a fraction of liquid water) has an even higher density. The density of snow varies from about 0.05 d.sub.w to about 0.25 d.sub.w, wherein "d.sub.w " is the density of room temperature liquid water.
The normal toilsome shoveling action of slicing into a snow pile, lifting from under a significant shovel-full of snow, and then transporting that snow balanced on the shovel blade in an elevated position to the point at which it is heaved to the side, is a significant manual effort. It is a significant manual effort that is repeated many times in the clearing of even a small area. The benefits of a even a minor physical relief during each shoveling action multiplies into a considerable degree of relief over the course of the snow cleanup.
A conventional snow plow is a power implement or machine used for the bulk transfer snow from one spot or location to another. When clearing a sidewalk of snow for instance, the common use of a snow plow entails a repetitious pushing, and/or sidling, sections of the snow to an adjacent or at least nearby location, such as a bordering lawn area. This commonplace task is requires less manual exertion than shoveling, but nonetheless is also far from effortless and is a strain on the snowplow itself. The benefits of a even a minor physical relief (corporal and/or mechanical) during the plowing action also multiplies into a considerable degree of relief over the course of the snow cleanup.